The Neuroscience Institute

The University of Chicago Neuroscience Institute is the intellectual home for a diverse group of scholars and scientists working together to advance our understanding of the brain.

institute entrance By utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, the Institute recruits faculty members from such areas as Chemistry, Cognitive Sciences, Computer Science, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Statistics, and many more to reveal how the human brain and our social and physical environments interact.

This knowledge is essential for improving the treatment of and developing cures for devastating conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease. By addressing the fundamental questions about brain mechanisms that lead to individual variation in people, we are also able to examine the social and environmental factors that shape our behavior.

The Neuroscience Institute was established to serve Neuroscience throughout the University of Chicago as well as its affiliates by representing the collective interests of the community. The Institute is in a unique position to support cutting-edge technology that will create many opportunities for scientists to transform and revolutionize our understanding of the human brain.

By working alongside other interdepartmental divisions as well as capitalizing on the great strengths that currently exist at the University of Chicago, the Institute provides the tools necessary to create a platform for increasing our expertise within Neuroscience.

Our community of neuroscientists includes more than 90 faculty members based in many academic and clinical departments, all of which are located on the Hyde Park campus — a key feature of our institution that facilitates interactions among researchers and scholars with diverse interests, backgrounds, and approaches. The institute helps to coordinate neuroscience strategy as well as the undergraduate and graduate programs, and it is responsible for maintaining shared equipment grants, the Neuroscience Seminar Series, community events, and several initiatives in support of our education programs.

Programs and Events

Neuroscience Seminar Series

The Neuroscience Seminar Series is a weekly event that takes place on Tuesdays during the academic year. It brings together distinguished neuroscientists from all over the country, who share their research findings, experiences, and latest discoveries with the community. This series offers a unique opportunity for students, faculty, and anyone interested in neuroscience to learn about the latest developments in the field, and to engage in discussions about cutting-edge research.

Click here to see the schedule in our events calendar.

Neuroscience Student Talks

The Neuroscience Student Talks is a series of weekly events that happen throughout the academic year. Graduate students are invited to give a 30-minute presentation about their research, which offers an opportunity for them to share their latest findings with the audience. These talks are a great way for students to hone their presentation skills and receive feedback from their peers and faculty members.

Click here to check out the full schedule.

Neuroscience Annual Retreat

The University of Chicago Neuroscience community reunites every year for the annual Retreat. The event features a diverse schedule full of talks presented by nationally recognized guests, faculty members, students, and postdocs, poster presentations, career development workshops, and recreational activities.

Read more about the last edition of the Neuroscience Retreat (2023).

Neuroscience Early Enrichment and Training Opportunity (NEETO)

The Neuroscience Early Enrichment and Training Opportunity (NEETO) engages Chicago high school students and teachers in hands-on laboratory experiments, fosters interactions between students at different career levels, and exposes high school students to cutting-edge neurobiological research and STEM careers. All research activities take place in the Carrillo lab at UChicago.

What could be more challenging, more interesting, and more important than understanding the human brain? It’s got it all. Computational processes, biological mechanisms, genetics; any aspect of biology you’re interested in, it’s important to brain function and it needs to be mastered before we will understand how it all works together. It’s the perfect puzzle.

John Maunsell, PH.D

Director of the Neuroscience Institute

Neuroscience Centers